Letters to the Editor

Posted
Thursday, July 25, 2013 2:22 pm

View inspiring library showcases

To the Editor:

I am writing to invite the Rockville Centre community and our neighbors to view the informative and inspiring showcases designed and executed by our Rockville Centre librarian, Alene Scoblete, now on display through July at the Rockville Centre Public Library.

The display is particularly timely because for the first time this year, same-sex couples in 13 states and the District of Columbia have been granted the full federal protections of legal marriage.

Ms. Scoblete has once again drawn attention to Gay Pride by highlighting relevant books, CDs and DVDs and integrating them with powerful, poignant, and inspirational quotes from famous and notable individuals. The colorful design and layout draw you in while the various topical selections will undoubtedly inform the public about this rich component of the library’s collection.

Gaze upon the selections here and reserve any of them for your reading/listening/viewing pleasure. I praise Ms. Scoblete’s thorough research, careful curation and creative talents, and encourage everyone to view the outstanding results of her efforts before the end of July.

Ronna Weiss

Rockville Centre

Village should allow competition

To the Editor:

For more than three decades, All Island Transportation has enjoyed being the only taxi game in town, as a result of what must be characterized as a village-regulated monopoly. At its June 3 meeting, the village’s Board of Trustees decided to postpone — for up to 60 days — the decision on whether to allow a second taxi company to operate in Rockville Centre (“Still waiting for a cab,” June 6--12).

With this 60-day decision deadline fast approaching, I urge Mayor Murray and the board either to end All Island’s stranglehold on the local market or to publicly issue a statement that explains, in detail, how preserving All Island’s current arrangement is beneficial to the village and its residents.

The village should not only allow competition, but also encourage it. The presence of a second (or third or fourth) car service in the village might even lead All Island to clean up its act. Then, perhaps, gone will be the days where residents must wait 45 minutes for a quick ride to the LIRR station or are subjected to cars that are in disrepair — from stained and ripped seats to dilapidated air conditioners and shocks — or are squeezed into cars with five other passengers, each of whom is charged a full fare.

This is America. We should be promoting competition. I hope that the mayor and the board share these sentiments; if not, I hope that they will publicly share their reasoning.

After all, when businesses compete, it is the consumer that wins.

Zachary Richner

Rockville Centre

The writer, a son of Herald publisher Stuart Richner, is not affiliated with Herald Community Newspapers. The opinions expressed are his own.

Enforce parking laws for revenue

To the Editor:

It’s a shame that the Village of Rockville Centre has to raise the cost of the parking meters again. My suggestion to raise additional revenue would be a stricter enforcement of parking regulations and other moving violations throughout the village.

As I drive around the village on a daily basis, I regularly see cars parked in No Stopping zones in front of Dunkin’ Donuts, Radio Shack and Bernie’s Convenience Store, among other places. Cars are parked all day in 1- and 2-hour zones, and enforcement of overnight parking rules has become quite lax, at least in my neighborhood. Calls to RVCPD and Code Enforcement are usually fruitless.

While driving around, it doesn’t take long to see drivers making right turns on red in presence of a No Turn on Red sign or making illegal U-turns in front of signs on Park Avenue, Merrick Road and Maple Avenue. Let’s make these violators pay, not the shoppers and visitors who now have to pay more to patronize our stores and restaurants.